Patting myself on the back here.

I was doing the school portrait thing again to supplement my income and found myself at a catholic school today. And for the record, private school kids are no more well behaved than public school kids. In fact, they are sometimes worse because shouting at them doesn't work either.

Anyway, I spent the day taking kids portraits and most of the day was unremarkable. Except for one fifteen minute period where something occurred that I've never had happen before. I had just taken a young girl's portrait and I was just about to tell her to go back to her class. She suddenly put her hand between her legs, looked straight at me, and then told me that she had to pee.

Not having any kids of my own, I didn't react immediately. I'm sure any parents who read that above statement would have immediately ask them how urgent it was before taking action. Instead, I asked dumbly, "You have to pee?" She nodded, then her face gave a panicked expression, followed by a mortified expression as I saw a few drops sprinkle over my equipment.

At that point, I reacted by telling her to go to the bathroom. I looked straight at the teacher and told her that she had to take this girl to the bathroom, but the teacher was too busy handling the other thirty kids. I grabbed the girl's now wet hands and pulled her to the bathroom (yeah, just violated the no contact policy, but I think I should get a pass on this one). I pushed the door open to the ladies room and ushered her in. Then I realized I couldn't go in there. Instead, I told her to go use the bathroom.

I went to the men's room to wash my hands, grabbed some paper towels and as I came out, I found the teacher looking for her now missing student that some man had dragged out of the room. I told her that the girl was in the ladies room and went back to my equipment to wipe it dry. And continued taking pictures as if nothing happened.

For the most part, most of her classmates had no idea that she had an accident. And if I hadn't been seen dragging her out to the bathroom, I don't think her teacher would have known either. I guess that I'm sort of proud of myself for taking (relatively) quick action and minimizing her embarrassment over having her peers know she loss control in school. And this story isn't one I'd be able to share with many people, so I am putting it up here where no one will know this girl because I don't even remember her name.

I don't think I'll forget this incident nor forget her expression of embarrassment as the drops of liquid leaked through her jeans onto my equipment though. I do hope that she'll remember the situation by how I reacted and the sensitivity I showed to her in a positive light, but I may be hoping for too much. Ok, I'm done patting myself on the back now.

It is better to give than receive

So, this evening, I stopped at the local chinese food restaurant to pick up some dinner. I saw a young asian girl there who I could tell was adopted, because she was pure chinese stock and her mom was caucasian. As an aside, I am glad someone wants to have her in their life that isn't bound by certain cultural expectations.

While I waited for my food, I watched as this young girl saw a sign where you put quarters in to help stray dogs and such. She told her mom that she wanted to put a quarter in one of the pockets. A very natural and touching thing to see a young child want to do that.

However, in that moment, my mind raised a mental alarm. I almost said, "Little girl, save that quarter. You may need it someday." What a snapshot of how my mentality and outlook on life has changed! I know that I now consider helping others out by giving a bit of what I earned a frivolous expense I cannot afford to spend money on.

This from the guy who used to donate an average of four to five percent of his net annual income towards various charity groups. Granted that's not a lot of money, but I gave what I could. The amount I donated is something like fifteen percent of my current gross income. I almost feel that I should be receiving instead of giving, my circumstances have changed so much.

I guess I'm a bit disappointed that another piece of what made me a better person has been stripped away by things outside of my control. And, in a moment of near weakness, I almost shared that gloom with a girl who doesn't know anything yet about our constitution. Let us hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is not too far away.